Botswana has made history by becoming the first African nation to win the men’s 4×400 meters relay at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. In recognition of this monumental achievement, President Duma Boko has declared Monday, 29 September, a public holiday, coinciding with the eve of the country’s Independence Day. The victorious team, comprising Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, triumphed over the United States, the reigning champions of the past decade, in a thrilling rain-soaked race. South Africa secured the third position. President Boko, addressing the nation from New York where he is attending the UN General Assembly, lauded the athletes as ‘Botswana’s natural diamonds,’ emphasizing their role in elevating the nation’s global stature. This victory marks Botswana’s best-ever performance in the championship, with the country securing fifth place overall in the medal standings, behind the US, Kenya, the Netherlands, and Canada, with two golds, one silver, and a bronze. This achievement follows last year’s historic moment when Letsile Tebogo clinched Botswana’s first Olympic gold in the men’s 200 meters in Paris, a feat that was celebrated with a half-day holiday and a grand reception at the National Stadium in Gaborone. President Boko described the current victory as ‘electric,’ underscoring its significance in Botswana’s rising prominence on the world stage.